Chris Carmichael Blog: Time-Crunched Athlete Premise Upheld Again!

Before I move on to other topics, you have to check out this article from the New York Times. There have been plenty of studies that have verified the efficacy of the high-intensity training principles behind the “Time-Crunched Cyclist” and “Time-Crunched Triathlete” books and training programs. The articles referenced by the NYT extends the premise to cardiac rehab patients and even Type II diabetics, and the results indicate improvements in cardiac health and the ability to control blood sugar. Like many of you, I’ll keep going out on long rides when I can, because I enjoy them. But in terms of bang-for-your-buck, there’s no denying that the Time-Crunched Athlete has to incorporate short, hard intervals in order to see continued performance and health improvements.

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, on Wednesday the Leadville Race Series announced the results of their lottery for spots on the start line of the 2012 Leadville 100. It’s been pandemonium around CTS ever since. I don’t know how many athletes they let into the race this year, but I’d venture to say that a few thousand didn’t get in and many of them are registering for the CTS Leadville 100 Coaching/Camp Lottery. Better yet, we’re getting coaching and camp registrations from repeat athletes who already have their entries!

From the very beginning I resolved that CTS would only partner with race organizations like Leadville, Ironman, La Ruta, and Trans Andes as long as we could deliver value beyond the race entry itself. Athletes who return to CTS Camps and Coaching packages when they don’t need the entry – and athletes who stick with coaching well after completing their original event – are proof that my coaches are delivering that value!

If you’re interested in registering for the CTS Leadville Coaching/Camp Lottery, visit http://trainright.com/lt100/ before February 29, 2012. Athlete will be notified of lottery results on March 1.

Leadville not your style? Well, I’ve done the La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike stage race in Costa Rica the past two years, and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that it makes Leadville look like a ride in the park. Think of it as 3 Leadvilles back-to-back, through jungles, over a volcano, with epic hike-a-bike sections and a finale that includes miles of railroad beds, swamps, and rickety bridges. CTS is going back in 2012, and we have three packages available so you can pick how much preparation you want to do. Check it out at http://trainright.com/la-ruta/. There’s no lottery for this one; it’s first-come-first-served.